INDUS PORTFOLIO COMPANIES IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT

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1 INDUS PORTFOLIO COMPANIES IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT Abstract of the INDUS Holding AG Q3 2014

2 2 interim report q INDUS Portfolio Companies in a Global Context The international political situation is currently tense. The situation in Ukraine along with developments in the Middle East and West Africa are being observed by the industrial and emerging nations with some concern. What effect are these crises having on the 42 INDUS portfolio companies operations? Our opinion as owner: The effect is noticeable, but not significant. With a few exceptions, the portfolio companies are not active in the affected regions and in the cases where they are, the events are only having a minor effect. +1,5 Eurozone +3,0 U.S.A. Atlantic Ocean +7,1 China +6,4 +3,5 India Pacific Ocean Mexico +2,0 Brazil Indian Ocean +2,7 South Africa Expected Economic Growth in 2015 (in ) Source: IHS Crisis region Russia-Ukraine Crisis region Middle East Crisis region West Africa Locations of INDUS companies Growth regions germany and europe provide stable core market The home market of Germany remains a solid foundation for the INDUS companies. This is where the portfolio companies perform around 50 of their services. However, the portfolio companies now achieve approximately half of their sales with operations overseas. The EU countries (still) play

3 interim report q a vital role in this respect. Nevertheless, the significance of global markets is increasing. Since the financial crisis of 2008/2009 in particular, sales in markets outside of Europe have been growing stronger than those in the EU, accounting for approximately 27 of total sales across the Group in the last fiscal year. company ELTHERM is currently establishing a subsidiary in South Africa in order to develop operations with trace heating systems in Africa. At least equally important for our portfolio companies are the Asian markets, in particular China, but also Singapore and South Korea. Our companies have branches and subsidiaries in the most important European markets, notably in the UK (ELTHERM, HORN/PCL, M. BRAUN), the Netherlands (AURORA/HEAVAC, ROLKO), Denmark (ROLKO), the Czech Republic (KÖCO), Slovakia (OBUK), Poland (BETOMAX, IMECO), Austria (BETOMAX), and Serbia (MIKROP). Having a local base means the companies can take advantage of their location to successfully roll out their operations. The most important European selling markets without a local base are France and Italy, followed by Portugal, Greece, Spain, and Ireland. The companies enjoy a relatively stable footing here, too, although the southern European countries currently weak economies are having a noticeable effect on portfolio companies connected to the automotive market. the stable growth regions are outside europe The portfolio companies aiming beyond Europe with their operations are heading primarily to high-growth emerging markets. These include Brazil, where SELZER, for instance, intends to expand its existing activities even further from 2015, and where VULKAN is already active. These also include Mexico and South Africa, where the two companies S.M.A and WIESAUPLAST are already well represented. The portfolio THE OVERSEAS ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED SHOW THAT OUR PORTFOLIO COMPANIES ARE MOSTLY ACTIVE IN STABLE REGIONS. Even if the times of growth in the doubledigits are over in China not least due to the Chinese government s stronger interference in the economy annual growth rates of 7 to 8 remain very attractive for our SMEs. Some companies are already there (M. BRAUN, AURORA, ROLKO), and BETEK, which specializes in carbide tools, has made the logical move of setting up its own production site there. In the more advanced countries, the development focus lies on North America, speci fi cally the U.S., where the positive growth momentum is gaining traction. Over the summer of 2014, economic developments once more exceeded the already positive expectations; an analysis of indicators suggests that this trend will continue in There are currently six INDUS companies actively operating in the U.S. with their own locations: AURORA, BETEK, IPETRONIK, ASS, >

4 4 interim impulse report q > M. BRAUN, and HORN/TECALEMIT. More intend to follow. russian market is a point of contact to crisis regions The overseas activities described above show that our portfolio companies are mostly active in stable regions. A more interesting prospect, but still a challenging market from a political point of view, is Russia. Difficulties have become particularly apparent with the current crisis between Russia and Ukraine. Our portfolio companies there are treading carefully. At the moment, only KÖCO is more heavily involved in the Russian market with a direct subsidiary, and BILSTEIN & SIEKERMANN intends to establish a Russian subsidiary; all other portfolio companies maintain only supplier relationships. These include SITEK, which continues to sell its studs well in the Russian market, since the product is not on the embargo list. The drop in sales expected here is due to the country s overall weak economy. The Russian operating activities of ELTHERM have also experienced only minor risk to date. The slight decline in sales has other causes and is largely a result of the restructuring of distribution partners. However, since the company also supplies the oil transport industry, operations could be affected in 2015 but only if Western nations decide to add more items to the embargo list. Other portfolio companies operations in Russia, such as OFA and TSN, are limited and mostly secure. Overall, operations in Russia (both direct and indirect) amount to less than 5 of Group sales and the dangers currently stem from the weak ruble rather than the Western nations embargo. A business volume of EUR 10 to 15 million is directly influenced by the crisis. Indirectly, that is including economic secondary consequences, this may amount to more. sales of indus portfolio companies (in ) In the regions of West Africa affected by the Ebola crisis, INDUS portfolio companies only have a few supplier relationships, so that the effect of this crisis on operations is negligible. 3 2 Source: Company Data 1 1 > Germany 51 2 > Europe 22 3 > Regions outside Europe 27 The same applies to the crisis-hit Middle East. Only AURORA and TSN may be affected by direct consequences. Through its overseas branch in Turkey, AURORA supplies components for bus air conditioning systems to Syria and Iran. In the past, this market presented considerable opportunities, but today the sales level is significantly below the EUR 1 million mark. TSN sales

5 interim report q Top left: ROLKO - the specialist for wheel chair components and other appliances has been in China with its own production since Top right: BILSTEIN & SIEKERMANN Russia is an attractive market in the long term. This is why the company will invest in its own foreign locations. Right: HORN Tecalemit - with the acquisition of LSI in 2013, HORN has created another major key stra tegic market in the U.S. are of a comparable size: almost EUR 2 million. The Berlin-based high-rise construction specialists are currently installing radio and TV aerial equipment on the Milad tower in Tehran; however, due to the difficult situation there, each individual project must be paid for in advance. summary: despite global crises, all portfolio companies are on track Even at these geopolitically difficult times, INDUS Group companies are not facing any dangers as a result of the situation in current crisis zones. Quite the opposite: As long as the overall global economy develops within the currently expected range, our portfolio companies are on a successful path of expansion in the medium-term.